Adjustable necktie



11mm 2; 19% W MAYER zmm g ADJUSTABLE NECKTIE Filed Aug. 25, 1955 Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE VNECKTIE William Mayer, New York, N. Y.

Application August 23, 1935, Serial No. 37,433

Claims. (01. 2-155) My present invention relates generally to necks lv e al n s longitudinal G S- y th Wear, and has particular reference to an imterm ew I ifit refer ti) 1.9 W93 9 proved type of adjustable neckband. selvage which is usually provided by weaving It is a general object of my invention to produring the manufacture .of the fabric, whereby 5 vide an improved adjustable necktie, of the genthe resultant product is of single-ply substantialeral character illustrated in United States Letters ly uniform thickness throughout. Patent No. 2,003,359, issued June 4, 1935. This In another, and preferred, embodiment, the type of necktie has a neckband portion which is reinforcement strip is coextensive in width with adjustable in length by doubling it back upon that of the neckband portion and is secured in 10 itself and by providing at its end a male fastening position by the same invisible stitching ,which in element which is adapted to engage with a seholds the inner andouter plies of the tietogether. lected one of a series of openings or perforations These plies havetheir longitudinal,edgesturned in the neckband. inward, and thereinfo-rcement strip .has its lon- The more specific objects of the present invengitudinal edges similarly turned inward,.,whereby tion include an improved mode of assembly of a single series of concealed stitches holdsall the various elements, whereby the outward appearelements in proper relationship. ance of the necktie is more attractive; whereby In a construction of the present character, it the construction is more compact and easier to is preferable, though not absolutely necessary,.to slip through or under a collar; and where the provide a protective lining within the neckba'nd adjustable feature is coupled with a maximum portion at least coextensive in length with the amount of strength and wearing qualities. perforated area of the neckband. .This lining,

In accordance with my present invention, the with the outer ply, serves to conceal thefas'tenneckband portion consists of inner and outer plies ing element from the outside by two thicknesses of tie material, which are often of relatively of material.

delicate fabric; and the perforations hereinbe- I achieve theforegoing objects, and such other 22 fore mentioned are provided in the inner ply. objects as may hereinafterapp'ear or be :pointed Where the male fastening element is in the form out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in of a hook, this ply alone would be insufficient the accompanying drawing, whereinr to withstand the stresses that are produced when Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tie of the the hook is engaged with a perforation. Accordready-made variety, embodying the features of 730 ingly, I provide a reinforcement strip of special the present in vention;

character, and associated with the tie construc- Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view tion in a novel manner. taken substantially along the line -2 --2 of Fig- There are a number of reasons why a reinure 1; forcement strip should be positioned on the ex- Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the .terior surface of the neckband. Apart from other mannerin which the present invention may "be considerations, the strip affords a convenient v applied to the typ O t h a is 1105 N -PE; means for applying suitable indicia adjacentto ZFigure l is'aperspective viewshowing the inanthe perforations, the markings being relevant to ner in which the invention is adapted to arter- 40 the adjustabilities in effective neckband length in-hand type .of tie; and 40 afforded by the perforations, respectively. Figure 5iis a view similarto Figure ,2, illustrat- I have found that a highly efiicient construcing a modification. tion can be produced at relatively small expense, The ready-made type of bow tie, embodies the with a minimum of labor and inateriaLby probow J0 and the preformed knot l I, Extending viding the reinforcement strip with perforations in opposite directions fromthe rear of the knot registering with those in the inner ply, and by l l arethe neckbandportions l2 and I3. The interengaging each pair of registering perforaneckband' of the tie is rnade adjustable 'in length tions marginally. by providing a male fastening element M (which In one embodiment, the reinforcement strip is I have illustratively shown in the form of a hook) {)0 narrower than the neckband portion and is at the extremity of the neckband portion [3, stitched along its edges to theoutside surface of whereby this portion may be doubled back upon the inner ply, the stitches being disposed within itself to engage the hook in any one ofa seriesof the medial area lying between the relatively perforations provided in a predetermined ar- ,thicker margins of the neckband portion. In rangement. A metallic loop l5 is. mounted on such a construction, t e reinforcement strip is the neckband. portion l3 and is adapted to be engaged at its midportion by a hook l6 that is carried at the extremity of the neckband portion l2.

The manner of applying the members l4 and Hi to the extremities of the neckband portions has not been illustrated in detail, because these particular portions of the structure have no bearing upon the present invention.

The neckband portion [3 is composed of the inner and outer plies of tie fabric I 1 and I8. The longitudinal edge portions of these plies are turned inwardly and stitched together by the concealed stitching l9. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, this requires that the plies I! and [8 be first assembled back to back, and then, after stitching them together, the entire assembly is turned inside-out.

In accordance with my present invention, the inner ply I! is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced perforations which are arranged along a midportion of the ply at predetermined distances from one another, the location of these perforations being such that the neckband as a whole may be adjusted to different neckband or collar sizes. In the present drawing I have chosen to illustrate the perforations in the form of circular openings, since such perforations are best adapted to receive a hook. It will be understood, however, that the perforations may, if desired, be in the form of elongated slits, like buttonholes, whereby the male fastening element may partake of the nature of a button.

In carrying out the present invention, a reinforcement strip 20 of suitably strong and suinciently attractive fabric (but not configured or ornamented like the tie material itself) is secured to the outside surface of the inner ply II. It embodies a series of perforations which register with the perforations in the ply l1, and each pair of registering perforations is marginally interengaged, as shown illustratively by the stitching 2| in Figure 2.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the strip 20 is selvaged along its longitudinal edges 22, and it is narrower in width than the ply II, so that it may be secured to the ply II by stitches 23 which are disposed entirely within the medial area between the relatively thicker margins of the neckband portion. I have also illustrated the manner in which a protective lining 24 may be disposed between the plies l1 and I8, the longitudinal edges of this lining member being turned inwardly and engaged by the stitches [9.

The resultant perforations, exteriorly available when the tie is used, are designated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 by the reference numeral 25.

In practice, a selected proper length of the strip 20 is first laid centrally upon the outer surface of the ply II. It is then stitched into position by means of stitches 23. The perforations 25 are then produced, either by hand or by machine, and the marginal edges of each pair of registering perforations are interengaged by suitable means, e. g., the stitching 2|. The ply i8 is then laid face down upon the outer side of the ply II, and if a lining member is to be used it is also laid in proper superposed relation to these plies. The stitches l9 are then run to secure the several thicknesses together into a unitary assembly; and, finally, the entire assembly is turned inside- I out, whereby a structure of the character illussuitable indicia 26 may be provided on the strip either before or after its assembly into the tie construction. Preferably, the strip 20 is manufactured in continuous lengths, and the markings 26 are produced thereon either by embroidery, stamping, or by the weave of the material itself. In the finished article, these indicia serve to designate the various adjustabilities in eifective neckband length afforded by the perforations 25.

Figure 3 illustrates the manner in which the invention is applied, with equal facility, to a tie that is not of the ready-made variety. No preformed knot is present in this construction, and the unperforated neckband portion is permanently secured, as at 21, to a metallic elongated link through which the other neckband portion slidably extends. The extremity of the perforated neckband portion is provided with a male fastening element 28 which corresponds to the element M of Figure 1.

In Figure 4, the invention is shown applied to a ready-made four-in-hand type of tie, and detailed description of this figure is not believed to be necessary, since it will be obvious that the features described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 are exactly the same in Figure 4, except for the fact that the knot 29 is a four-in-hand type of knot instead of a bow knot.

It will also be understood that the invention is applicable to a regular four-in-hand tie, the tie in such a case being substantially identical with the tie illustrated in Figure 3, except that the ends are considerably longer and are shaped in the conventional four-in-hand manner.

In Figure 5, I have illustrated a modification in which the extra stitches 23 of Figure 2 are unnecessary. For the sake of clearness, the reference numerals l1 and 18 are again applied to the inner and outer plies of tie material, and the reference numeral 24 is again applied to the lining member (where such member is employed). In this embodiment, the reinforcement strip 20 is coextensive in width with the neckband, and the longitudinal edges of the strip 20 are turned inwardly and are engaged by the concealed stitches I 9 which hold the assembly together. The openings 25 and the marginal means 2| for interengaging each pair of registering perforations are the same as in Figure 2.

The advantages of the present structure will be obvious from the description given. The construction is sufficiently staunch, so that when a member such as the hook M or the hook 28 is inserted into a selected perforation, the stresses are not imparted solely to the tie material II, but are distributed between this ply and the reinforcement strip. Where a lining member is applied the fastening element, such as the hook mentioned, is concealed from the outside surface of the tie by two thicknesses of material constituted of the outer ply l8 and the lining member 24. The structure is compact and of lesser thickness at the center than at the margins. Thus, in Figure 2, there are four thicknesses of material along the midportion of the tie, while the margins are constituted of six thicknesses. In Figure 5, there are four thicknesses at the midportion and eight thicknesses at the margins. Where the lining member is omitted, the thicknesses at the midportions and at the margins are correspondingly reduced.

In the patent hereinbefore mentioned, an added strip of material is first stitched to a reinforcement band and then applied to the tie. I have found that in practice considerable care must be taken to eliminate all loose and elongated threads or stitches, so that when this added assembly is attached to the tie no such stitches will inadvertently project from beneath the added strip. By means of the present construction, the manufacturing procedure is greatly simplified because whatever loose stitches or threads may exist are disposed on the interior of the tie construction. For example, in Figure 2, in applying the stitches 2| or the stitches 23, no special precautions need be taken because the undersurface of the ply I1 is ultimately in a concealed position. The same applies to the construction of Figure 5.

Another advantage of the present mode of assembly arises from the desirability, under certain circumstances, to make a tie out of material that is cut on the bias. Inasmuch as the present additional reinforcement strip 20 is not so cut, but is cut straight, the addition of this strip to a tie which is cut on the bias imparts a desirable strengthening effect, minimizing undesirable longitudinal stretching that would otherwise take place.

It will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-- 1. In an adjustable necktie, a neckband portion comprising inner and outer plies of tie material having their longitudinal edges turned inward and stitched together by concealed stitching, the inner ply having a series of perforations arranged in predetermined longitudinally spaced relation, a reinforcement strip arranged on the outside of said inner ply and having perforations registering with those in said inner ply, and means marginally interengaging each pair of registering perforations, said neckband portion being adapted to be doubled back upon itself and provided at its end with a male fastening element adapted to engage with a selected perforation, and said strip carrying indicia adjacent to said perforations relevant to the adjustabilities in effective neckband length afforded by said perforations, respectively.

2. In an adjustable necktie, a neckband portion comprising inner and outer plies of tie material having their longitudinal edges turned inward and stitched together by concealed stitching, the inner ply having a series of perforations arranged in predetermined longitudinally spaced relation, a selvaged reinforcement strip narrower 5 than said inner ply and stitched along its edges to the outside of said ply, said strip having perforations registering with those in said inner ply, and means marginally interengaging each pair of registering perforations, said neckband portion being adapted to be doubled back upon itself and provided at its end with a male fastening element adapted to engage with a selected perforation, and said strip carrying indicia adjacent to said perforations relevant to the adjustabilities in effective neckband length afforded by said perforations, respectively.

3. In an adjustable necktie, the elements set forth in claim 1, in combination with a protective lining member between the inner and outer plies and at least coextensive with the perforated area of the neckband portion, so as to conceal said fastening element from the outside by two thicknesses of fabric.

4. In an adjustable necktie, a neckband portion comprising inner and outer plies of tie material having their longitudinal edges turned inward and stitched together by concealed stitching, the inner ply having a series of perforations arranged in predetermined longitudinally spaced relation, a reinforcement strip coextensive in width with said inner ply and arranged on the outside of said inner ply with its longitudinal edges turned in and engaged by said stitching, said strip having perforations registering with those in said inner ply, and means marginally interengaging each pair of registering perforations, said neckband portion being adapted to be doubled back upon itself and provided at its end with a male fastening element adapted to engage with a selected perforation, and said strip carrying indicia adjacent to said perforations relevant to the adjustabilities in effective neckband length afforded by said perforations, respectively.

5. In an adjustable necktie, the elements set forth in claim 4, in combination with a protective lining member between the inner and outer plies and at least coextensive in length with the perforated area of the neckband portion, said lining member having having its longitudinal edges secured by said stitching and serving, with the outer ply, to conceal said fastening element from the outside by two thicknesses of fabric.

WILLIAM MAYER. 

